The CEA children have now completed 8 weeks of the 2025-2026 school year. We commend their dedication and effort in striving for excellence in their academic pursuits.
Recently, some children excelled in school competitions.
Thank you to all our child sponsors, making it possible for these children to fulfill their dreams of finishing their schooling.
Construction Update
Construction continues on our latest project: the Staff/Visitor housing building.
Doors have been installed as well as tile countertops, and bathroom fixtures.
It features six separate living apartments for staff and visitors, and we are eager to see it completed.
Poverty in the Philippines
- Official Poverty Incidence: 15.5% of the population, or approximately 17.5 million Filipinos, lived below the national poverty line in 2023.
- Self-Rated Poverty: A December 2024 survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS) found that 63% of Filipino families considered themselves poor—about 17.4 million families, including 2.8 million newly poor.
- Regional Disparities:
→ Highest self-rated poverty: Mindanao (76%), Visayas (74%)
→ Lowest: Metro Manila (51%)
Unemployment and Underemployment
- Unemployment Rate: As of May 2025, the rate stood at 3.9%, with 2.03 million Filipinos unemployed.
- Underemployment Rate: Much higher at 12.6% in October 2024, affecting 6.08 million Filipinos.
- Labor Force Participation: Rose to 65.8%, indicating more people are actively seeking work.
Sector Breakdown:
→ Largest employer: Services (61.8%)
→ Followed by: Agriculture (21.1%) and Industry (17.1%)
Marginalized Children and Youth
- Child Population: Roughly 39.7 million children under 18, making up 36.5% of the total population.
- Child Poverty: 26.4% of children lived in poverty in 2021—about 10.46 million children.
→ Highest child poverty rates: BARMM (44.2%), Caraga (44.1%), Region V (39.9%)
→ Extreme Child Poverty: About 5.14 million children (12.4%) live in extreme poverty.
- Education & Health Challenges:
→ 2.85 million children aged 5–15 are out of school.
→ 33% of children are stunted due to malnutrition.
→ Only 59.9% of children received full vaccination in 2022. - Child Labor: In 2023, 678,000 children were engaged in labor harmful to their development.
→ Violence Against Children: Over 17,681 cases reported in 2023, including abuse, rape, and acts of lasciviousness.
→ Early Pregnancy: Live births among girls under 15 rose by 35% from 2021 to 2022.
We are Still Searching…
We are still searching for individuals to help our mission efforts. We are searching for a married couple to make occasional trips to the Philippines to oversee the work when we are away, and someone to help manage the assigning and sponsorships of our children. If you have an interest or need more information, please contact Ronald Brown:
rbrown406@hotmail.com
1 John 3:17-18
17But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Ronald and Gigi Brown
Casa Esperanza of Angels
PHILIPPINE MISSION INC.
Tanjay City, Philippines
August 2025 Newsletter
Volume 11 Issue 123